Why Emotion Matters

Last month, one of the more popular viral videos that made the rounds was that of performer Chris Bliss. Chris juggled three balls in an elaborate routine that seemed like it might fall apart at any moment, creating a suspenseful spectacle that prompted a standing ovation when he made it all the way through without a slip.

Once the video became popular online, juggler Jason Garfield released a parody of the Bliss video, but instead juggling 5 balls and making it look effortless. Jason is so technically proficient, he could likely add another ball and close his eyes without a slip.

So, the better man wins, right?

Doubtful. As others adeptlypointedout, Jason may be the better juggler, but he has a lot to learn about showmanship.

Jason’s “diss” response to the Chris Bliss act was a straight appeal to logic. He can do the same act, juggling more balls, without even breaking a sweat.

On the other hand, Bliss made an emotional connection with his audience.

A good stage performance tells a story to the audience, and it gets them involved. When telling a story, emotion wins over logic. The human desire for emotional connection is the reason we tell stories in the first place.

What does this mean to your business?

You may not be the most experienced lawyer, Realtor, SEO consultant, or graphic designer around. But if you learn how to connect with people on an emotional level, you can win the business over the more experienced, and even the more technically proficient.

Thank you so much for this post!
I had no idea that someone had dissed Chris Bliss.
I was mesmerized by that video NOT because of the skill so much as the heart and soul expressed through Chris’s skill. It was that way he moved and seemed to almost dance with the music.

I’m not a juggler, but I am a performer and a performance coach. I’d much rather experience a performer who is real, alive and fully impassioned in his art then someone who is highly skilled but distant, aloof and disembodied.

“All the world’s a stage” as the Bard wrote. As an attorney, I can attest that people choose professionals based on an emotional connection, the main one being that you really care about helping them solve their problems. And once the connection is made, it is rarely broken– I have had the same clients for over 20 years.